World Charm
World Charm is the eighteenth episode of Garo. It features the debut of the Makai Priestess Jabi as a supporting character. Synopsis Kouga's childhood friend Jabi has been framed for the murder of Makai Priest Amon. Kouga must protect her to prove her innocence. Meanwhile, Rei is ordered by the Eastern Watchdogs to find the Horror Daggers she stole from them and to kill Kouga. Plot Summary Kouga searches for Kaoru, holding her sketch pad. Zaruba tell him to give up, as he is simply reaping what he sowed by using her. Kaoru is wandering the streets of the city and begins imagining the growls of Horrors as she becomes scared and paranoid, only to see Horrors in the crowd of people watching her and runs away screaming. Kouga, in agony over what he has done, blindly swings his sword wildly during training, screaming in rage. Gonza in a panic of shock, rushes into the training room to inform his master that Amon has been murdered. Shocked at this news, Kouga wanted to know who was responsible. At the Eastern Watchdog Castle, a mysterious woman takes Kodama by surprise and steals the 12 Horror Daggers that Kouga and Rei used to seal the Horrors they previously defeated. The Watchdogs identify her as a Makai Priest and attempt to stop her, but she uses a talisman to blind them and make her escape. The Watchdogs order Kodama to chase after her to retrieve the daggers. Kodama and the Priest fight, but she manages to escape after deflecting his attacks. Kaoru finds herself in Karune's office, with Karune making tea for her and saying he was surprised that she came to him and that she passed out on his doorstep the night before. She inquires if he is curious as to why she is here, but Karune says that if she does not wish to say why, she does not need to. She tells him what is wrong. The Watchdogs summon Kouga, revealing that the criminal responsible for the theft of the daggers and the murder of Amon is the Makai Priestess Jabi. He is ordered to kill her and to retrieve the daggers. When he asks where is the Orders Document for this, the Watchdogs say there is none and that this is a direct emergency order. Kouga refuses to obey the order without the proper documentation, as to him, this is a request and not an official order. The Watchdogs then realize that Jabi is an old friend of Kouga, and says that their relationship does not matter in this situation. They order him again to do the task, but he still refuses. The Watchdogs state that he will be punished if he continues his disobedience. But Kouga says he doesn't care as he is fed up with taking orders from them and leaves. The Watchdogs order Kodama to follow Kouga and find out what he is planning. Back at Karune's home, Kaoru has told him everything about her experiences. Shockingly, he believes her because of the terrified expression on her face last night. When Kaoru asks what she should do, Karune says that she should never see Kouga again and to think of him as a bad dream and forget him. He invites Kaoru to stay at his home until she can find a place to stay, comforting her by saying he is on her side no matter what happens. Kouga visits the home of Amon to investigate, only for two talismans to come towards him, which he catches. Jabi appears and both are surprised how much they have changed since childhood. Kouga asks for her side of the story and that he does not believe she killed Amon, but she blows him off and tells him not to follow her if he believes that. He asks why she stole the daggers, and she says that the Watchdogs are not to be trusted and that the daggers should be sent to the Demon World, not lying around in their castle. Zaruba does see this as unusual, but Jabi runs off with Kouga pursuing her. Kaoru is having paranoid fits and hallucinations again as the sun sets, imagining a Horror attacking her. Rei is called to the Watchdogs, who order him to kill Jabi and retrieve the daggers, offering to revive Shizuka from the dead as a reward. The Watchdogs say that it is also a perfect opportunity to kill Kouga, manipulating Rei's hatred of the man he believes murdered his lover and lying to him, saying Kouga did indeed kill her. Rei agrees and heads off to assassinate Kouga. Karune arrives at his home only to find Kaoru has disappeared. While walking, Rei finds an exhausted Kaoru wandering around and approaches her, intent on using her to draw Kouga out. Back in the forest, Jabi is running away from Kouga towards Amon's shrine. Kouga says that he also suspects the Watchdogs are behind this deception and he believes her, but Jabi does not trust him as he is their appointed Makai Knight. She hands him a white knight Bar Chess piece and says that was in Amon's hand when she found him dead. She then asks if he knows about the rumor of the Horror-eating Makai Knight. Zaruba says that if a Makai Knight devours whole Horrors, they can possibly attain ultimate power. Kouga says that is only a legend, but Jabi refuses to believe that. Kouga asks what she plans on doing with the daggers and she says she will return them to the Demon World herself. He demands that she return the daggers and that he can handle the Watchdogs to protect her. Jabi says she does not think he is the knight who killed Amon, but now she doesn't want to trust any Makai Knight ever again. She then draws her Makai Brush and attacks Kouga, saying if he wants the daggers, he will have to kill her first and the two begin fighting. Rei is dragging along Kaoru, who demands he let go of her. Kaoru thinks he is using her as bait like Kouga did, but Rei says that is not the case. She nearly faints from exhaustion, but Rei catches her and assures Kaoru that he will protect her. Jabi and Kouga are still fighting, with Jabi mentioning about Kaoru and that he can't be serious about saving her from the Horror Blood. Kouga learns that she heard this news from her late master as he gets thrashed by her powerful kicks. She then talks about how, as children, he would purposely lose at Bar Chess to her and states that his kindness towards others has always been his greatest flaw. She zaps him with a lightning spell and knocks him to the ground. Kouga pleads to Jabi, but Jabi says that she will kill Kaoru for him, angering him into fighting her. Jabi's lightning spells attract the attention of Rei, who follows the flashes of light to their source. Kouga finally defeats and disarms Jabi, pinning her down with his blade at her neck. Kouga puts his sword down and Jabi calls him a fool for letting her live. Rei arrives and the timing could not have been worse for Kouga, as Kaoru sees him on top of Jabi. Rei demands that Kouga finish Jabi off, as it would make his job easier. Jabi lunges toward him to attack but Kouga stops her. Rei gets annoyed and grabs Kaoru, holding one of his swords at her throat and demanding that the daggers be returned. Kouga demands him to stop, but Jabi calls Rei an idiot, as Kaoru will die soon anyways and that makes her a worthless hostage. Kaoru doesn't understand what is going on and Rei explains about those stained in the Blood of Horrors dying in 100 days. Kouga pretends to hand over the daggers over to him in exchange for Kaoru. Once Kaoru gets to safety, Kouga tosses the box containing the daggers and attacks Rei. Jabi grabs the box and Kouga tells her to run and take care of Kaoru, the two Knights then prepare for battle, intent on settling this feud once and for all. They both don their armors and then duel their way across the forest, both evenly matched until Zero pins Garo down on the steps and stabs him, drawing first blood. Zero then perches himself on a tree trunk above Garo before running towards him with his swords and ready to deal the killing blow, the screen freezing the scene on a cliffhanger. Cast *''to be added'' *''to be added'' Notes to be added Errors *''to be added'' Home Video Release * Garo Season 1 Vol. 2 featured episodes 14-25 on two discs, with English subtitles by Kraken Releasing. References